Debunking yet another set of myths surrounding the world of apps, with something very essential for technology and business leaders who are trying to take a decision on apps building in the modern digital world. With the demand for business applications outstripping the availability of IT resources, business leaders often find IT as a bottleneck to get their apps created quickly. There is no doubt that business innovation can be fostered by mobile and web apps, but misconceptions about business app development remain and this in turn can hamper decision-making. Here are seven myths that can stall business innovation in an organization and let’s demystify them for better understanding

Myth #1: The bigger the app idea, more the time it takes

“There are no limits to imagination and the size of your idea. The real bottleneck comes in when the you try to appify your idea.” But wait, that’s an old saying. New age low code platforms which offer you rapid application development lets anyone with an idea to build an app quickly. There might be some intervention by the technical developers, but that doesn’t hinder the initial process of appification of an idea quickly.

Myth #2: Apps with compelling UI/UX is an expert’s job

Professional apps built using traditional methods have a very intuitive user experience. Usually getting those slick user experience, associated with a great app, involves senior front end developers who are good at JavaScript, HTML and CSS. But with the new tools based on visual development, out of the box templates one can do away with UI experts. The finer adjustments can be done with simple DIY hacks. The effort is also reduced to just hours to days instead of weeks to months together.

Myth #3: Apps created by business users cannot integrate with internal business systems

Most business apps contain data from back-office systems or specific business applications like ERP. Connecting an app securely to these often-legacy systems requires access and integration logic. IT can manage and provide access to these systems via APIs, through API management solutions, in a secure, reusable, and reliable way. Business users in turn can consume these APIs through low code platforms like WaveMaker, to intuitively integrate and use them inside an app.

Myth #4: App’s security and DB need expert intervention

Professional apps usually have complex DB design, professional security and coded as per standards. In traditional development these qualities cannot be achieved without involvement of expert developers. But with new tools and technologies—including automatic table creations, visual DB design and configurable security means, anyone can build apps and they are almost codeless. This is ideal for business users, product managers and in general any citizen developers.

Myth #5: Business apps will not be supported by IT

Apps are of multiple types. One of the categories is core apps that drives the company’s core businesses. And then there are a lot of other apps that are categorized as long-tail-apps scattered all over the organization and are usually those that are driven by business teams. Traditional IT support only the core apps, and the long tail apps flourished under the shadow of the IT teams. However modern IT leaders also bring under their control long tail apps to curtail shadow IT in the organization. This is done using modern app development platforms that allows centralized control by IT and also eases the building of these apps by business users.

Myth #6: Modern App Development Platforms Are Closed and Proprietary

This is a myth that is almost true. The new age app development platforms that offer low code and rapid application development are mostly closed and proprietary. However there are few platforms like WaveMaker, which are based on open standards and offers the developers a choice to move away from the platform with the auto generated app code, which can be migrated and developed in any IDEs like Eclipse. Though there is an understandable fear that developers will get locked into something that they may later want to move away from, these platforms will provide the flexibility that allows developers to make any real-time changes needed.

Myth #7: Cross Platform Apps Are not fully featured

There is a misconception that cross-platform apps, usually built using hybrid mobile app development, cannot support a lot of features. It’s true that not all platforms are equal and some may not support the full plethora of feature development, but it’s still possible to develop apps that are rich in functionality. Some platforms for example – RAD platform by WaveMaker makes it easy to build apps that have features customized as per business requirements.

Recent times have seen the emergence of many enterprise application platforms that have the capability to address these challenges and make app development work much less tedious than it appears. The WaveMaker platform is one such platform worth mentioning. This platform develops & Deploys custom apps with multiple functionality in a cost effective and less time consuming manner.